I don't want examples of mass murderers who happened to be atheists... any more than a mass murderer who happens to be male has killed in the name of manlyhood.
You can't so don't even try.
2007-10-09 03:45:58 · 23 answers · asked by I'm an Atheist 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Can't think of anyone myself. Good point.
2007-10-09 03:48:46 · answer #1 · answered by Black Star Deceiver 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some have cited Stalin, and probably will continue to cite Stalin after i post. Stalin ordered killings because of his political platform, not in the name of atheism. True he was an atheist, and true he persecuted and killed church officials but all of this was because he viewed these people as a threat to his political system.
2007-10-09 03:55:33 · answer #2 · answered by ChooseRealityPLEASE 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I don't know but just because hitler or someon believed that he was christian doesn't mean he was chosen by God or saved. Nobody is a Christian until they are saved or born again. Non-theists use that trick often. They try to blame real Christians for something a fake-christian did. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
2016-05-19 22:40:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The usual candidates - Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot - should not be stated. Hitler was, despite not following a religion to the book, a theist who believed in God. Stalin's actions were political (ever heard of communism?) as were Pol Pot's.
That said, not all of the Crusades were explicitly religious.
2007-10-09 04:02:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Stalin killed for political reasons (to preserve his own power). He killed religious figures he viewed as a threat not because of his atheism, but because of his hunger for power.
At least that's how I understand based on the two biographies of his I read. (Although the authors may have been biased.)
Outside of Stalin, I doubt you'll find many.
2007-10-09 03:54:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I am a devout Christian, but I am sure you are mistaken. Atheism is heresy and in religious circles people have been killed for reasons we cannot even understand today. Atheists lived in total fear and anyone who admitted to atheism would see their career destroyed in a moment. Even into the 20th century. Consider the philosopher Bertrand Russel.
So while their names may not be recorded, do not presume the record is blameless. It is far from blameless, the record is soaked in blood and I expect as many have died for Christ as have been killed unjustly by professing Christians.
It is in the keeping of the record that we discover Christ, God and our own humanity. So keep the record well. Do not justify the sins of the record; deceit and denial.
2007-10-09 03:59:23 · answer #6 · answered by Ron H 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋
John B and others, Stalin killed in the name of Communism and in the name of eliminating his political enemies, NOT in the name of not-believing-in-god.
2007-10-09 03:57:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Oh, come ON...
We are going to say that atheists who killed for "political power" just "happened to be atheists", even though their main target was religious groups. There is nothing in atheism itself to promote or justify these murders.
Of course, there is also nothing in atheism to prevent them, either, but we don't want to talk about that, do we?
And then, we are going to say that Christians who killed for political power did it BECAUSE they were Christians?
Of course, you do know that Christ, Himself does not advocate such murder...in fact, the truth about Jesus is actually quite the opposite.
You know very well that there is nothing in Christianity that promotes or justifies murder...
But there is plenty to prevent it.
And then, atheists have the unmitigated gall to prate about their "rational and logical thinking".
Pah...you have made yourself, and atheists in general, hypocrites and liars.
2007-10-09 04:10:42 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The U.S.Constitution is secular, therefore it can be said that EVERYONE ever executed by the state has been killed in the name of secular, or atheist, law.
As the person above accurately noted, atheism is an absence of belief, therefore you are asking "who has killed in the name of nothing?" Which is a meaningless question.
Most self-styled atheists like you are actually unaware ANTI-theists, failing to realize that anti-theology can be as powerful a opiate as theology. Hence, the obvious need to self-promote and proselytize anti-theology on an erstwhile theological forum such as this one.
The person who builds his self-image on the denial of God is effectively admitting that God is, in fact, the core of his existence. As Alanis says..."Isn't it Ironic?"
2007-10-09 04:06:03 · answer #9 · answered by u_bin_called 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
No, none out there.
Plenty of murder on behalf of the Abrahamic God though. That figures doesn't it? If you worship an evil deity you can become evil too.
2007-10-09 03:53:31 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
That's because atheism is the lack of a belief. You're saying "name the people who killed someone in the name of nothing," which is just a meaningless rhetorical question.
2007-10-09 03:49:15 · answer #11 · answered by Duran D 2 · 5⤊ 2⤋